This was my late UNCLE BRENDAN. I did not get to say good bye to him. My mother was ANNA LAI his little SISTER. I did not learn 7 STARS; but I did learn Silat and Shaolin KUNTAO instead.
It's really great to hear from one of Sifu Lai's relatives, I never knew he had a little sister . I wish there were more info and up-to-date videos on him. Would also be great to know about his students and where they are now, some of whom were my Gung Fu brothers and sisters in San Francisco during the 70s and 80s.
It is regrettable that you didn't have that opportunity, but undoubtedly he would have shared what was in your heart when he passed. Having trained with your uncle in the 1970s, I found him to be a stern and focused taskmaster while teaching, but his sense of humor was always present. I have had the good fortune to study with many great teachers in my life, but Sifu Lai's superb skill was truly first-rate and his dedication to introducing Chinese martial arts to the West garnered much respect amongst the Gung Fu community both at home and abroad. I'm sure he would be proud to know that you pursued your own path of training in martial arts. Interestingly, when I lived in Seattle I met a Silat practitioner (hi Eddy), who upon seeing me perform some 7 Star techniques, compared it to advanced Silat he was also studying.
@@middlepath3607 His Sister was my mother Anna Marie Lai. I did not learn the 7 Stars or any version of it do to a Boxer's stance that will punch with the opposite hand and step off on the opposite leg. The Western Boxers Foot work is what will throw off the Mantis leg work and upper body Counter Strikes. I believe he modified it to work but I was far away to learn it as I joined the US Military. I chose/had to use Chinese Shaolin Kuntao. As my USAF AFB was not in California. My primary instructors who knew my Uncle was Willem De Thouars who taught me Ciemande Silat and Benag Camat who taught Filipino Chinoy Style Kuntao, and Danzan Jijitsu that I did when I was in middle school in San Bruno from Henry Okazaki under William Cahill in the SFO Bay Area. San Bruno to more exact. My Uncle Brendan lived in the Daily City/ South San Francisco City Area and had his store in San Francisco that closed down around 2018. He passed away from complications to diabetes around 2002. I last saw him in 1995/96. I will always miss him and he was my Hero. We rarely got to visit each other or his son Alvin and my Aunt his wife Ester. I followed my way and wanted to speak to him about modifications to 7 Stars using Kuntao and Silat. It never happened. The other Animal forms I never learned from him, but from Kuntao's 5 Animals forms and Ling Sing Toy- Two/Twin Dragon Tails which I can barely pull off at my age. Thanks you for the tribute on behalf of my Uncle and his family since Alvin never responds? Anna Lai Chan's husband was my Father Walter Chan. I am Cecil Chan her son. Steve is my middle name. Sigong Lai had several brother's as well. Out of everyone in my family on both sides I am the only one who pursued the mental and physical aspects of Sim Lum or Shaolin for cultural historical reasons. I learned that Shaolin was destroyed in 1644AD and they fled to Nippon/Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines and of course India. The Shaolin in Red China was built in 1983 and is essentially a tourist attraction. I do not know if the Red Chinese retain all of the Shaolin knowledge and I doubt they did. There are Shaolin Monasteries or remenants of them in Indonesia and the Philippines. My wife is Chinoy or Chinese Filipino so Banag taught me his strategy of slapping the throat and eye blinding while Willem & his Disciples showed me Monkey foot leg breaks along with way more shoulder and head spins and Fa jin, fajin or fa chin (fājìn, 發勁), sometimes misspelled as fajing? A lot of rolling under the opponent to blow out the legs. I only got to learn Espada Y'Dagga with elements of Chinese swordsmanship. My Unlce told me NEVER advertise because we do not know who is watching. I will take my leave now. I just wanted all to know his family is still around. Thank you.
What an EXCELLENT demonstration by Grandmaster Brendan Lai of the waist chopping technique with the 7-Star stance: ua-cam.com/video/Jaka2jtTHQM/v-deo.html
Twice a week for one hour each and it would be 2-4 years before you learn these forms if you have no prior martial arts experience. The first form shown, Bung Bo, is usually the 7th form taught; The second form shown, Chop Chui, is usually the 6th form taught. It usually takes students 5-8 classes to learn these. After 5 or 6 years of training, it takes students 1-2 classes to learn a form of this complexity. For instance, the form Dai Gar Sig takes about one class to learn by the time a student is ready to learn it. It's slow in the beginning, but you speed up tremendously if you stick with it.
@@TrentMantis Would it really help one to become a great fighter say in self defence situations or is it more of a yoga type exercise . I am fairly ignorant about these arts.
@@TrentMantis As a student of Sifu Lai in the 1970s at his California Street studio in San Francisco, I found your calculations very insightful. I would always arrive early for classes that often ran 2-3 hours and was frequently allowed to attend classes more than twice a week. On average I spent my entire first year becoming competent in a few dozen techniques, their applications, basic combinations, and afterward focused on the Fourteen Roads core 7 Star routines. Including training at home, I averaged between 22-25 hours of practice each week. Although I never reached the level of learning complete forms (Chop Chui, in particular, was very popular), I progressed well in techniques by spending any free time on bag work (with dit da jow of course), wooden dummy, and two-person drills. Over the many years since I have trained with many skilled teachers, but Brendan Lai was the most critical and demanding, and he always stressed real-world effectiveness in his teachings. Sifu Lai's individual movements were always crisp and flawless whenever he would demonstrate to his students. I had the luck of being frequently called on by Sifu to run through an application with him in front of the class. Being able to experience his ability first-hand greatly improved my grasp of the underlying principles, and my memory of his level of skill still amazes me to this day. Easily the fastest hands I ever saw.
@@connietimoney4447 Definitely not a static yoga-type method. Although 7 Star Praying Mantis does incorporate its own stretching, posture holding, and internal breathing routines, they are approached differently. This Northern Chinese method is first and foremost a fighting system and doesn't translate well into a sport or purely health-related practice. In the 1980s I trained in another related Praying Mantis system in San Francisco, and heard of an older sister school in NY that was banned from full-contact competitions on the East Coast due to the number of opponent's joints being broken. It was not intentional, but the system when learned traditionally and correctly is taught to create openings by first attacking extended limbs (the elbow being a primary target, with knee joints, and collar bones to a less frequent degree) with "soft" deflections and captures to create openings before applying "hard" finishing strikes. In the heat of a sparring match it is too challenging to modify one's reflexes to accommodate competition requirements. For the system to retain its real-world effectiveness, removing these core principles would compromise its effectiveness. Northern 7 Star Mantis techniques are practiced at medium-to-full speed and are generally explosive and rapid-fire in application. The system can be challenging for some as it focuses on simultaneous attack and defense, with many individual physical adjustments, techniques, and principles executed at the same time in a single movement. Due to the emphasis on trapping it is also critical to spend many hours in two-person drills, and it can take literally years to achieve effective spontaneous responses and sensitivity needed to automatically read the opponent's movements by touch alone. 7 Star Praying Mantis is best learned in a class with expert instruction. Correct posture and timing in movements benefit from an observant instructor to avoid developing (and then having to unlearn) bad habits. It is also a very large system with literally dozens of empty-hand and weapons forms, requiring years of training and perhaps study with multiple teachers over time to become adept in them all. My teacher Brendan Lai was an advanced practitioner in the art, but he would still make periodic trips to Hong Kong for more study under his own teacher. A good instructor of this style should display clear and complete execution of techniques, a strong training partner curriculum, knowledgeable conditioning practices (Iron Palm hand conditioning should be properly taught and practiced to avoid harm to your health, as an example), and a solid grasp of the system. 7 Star Mantis also uses pain as one means of creating openings in the attacker's defenses, but a student has to also feel the pain of carefully applied techniques in class, as well as the sensation of being struck, grabbed, swept, or thrown to fully grasp some techniques, and to prepare for such in a real altercation. Also, what is the teacher's lineage? Did they study from a recognized teacher? As with many fighting systems, learning authentic techniques correctly is essential. Balance, efficient movement, distance and timing, posture, speed, and a thorough grasp of the core fighting principles are all critical factors to be learned for real-world usage.
@@connietimoney4447 In Chinese Martial Arts it is NOT just a Military WAY. Although, weapons are always taught first along with weapon disarms and weapon retention through arm and leg traps. It is also used as a form of Meditation and the control of life energy. As the Disciple progressed the same movemnts used for weapons training are also the same movements for unarmed combatives. There are many levels and there are so many levels and ways as you go up in skill that eventually you will do it YOUR WAY because of your body type and fusilage form and your speed, agility, and balance and so there are NO MASTERS! There are ONLY TEACHERS! It is why philosophy, Healing, and other sciences and disciplines are incorporated. Here in the USA they are esoteric and not organized as a way of life and used as a H2H (Hand to Hand) combative. It is a shame.
Sifu Lai was a great teacher to me and will be remembered from the Shaolin Temple Kung Fu school in Lomita, CA USA.
This was my late UNCLE BRENDAN. I did not get to say good bye to him. My mother was ANNA LAI his little SISTER. I did not learn 7 STARS; but I did learn Silat and Shaolin KUNTAO instead.
It's really great to hear from one of Sifu Lai's relatives, I never knew he had a little sister . I wish there were more info and up-to-date videos on him. Would also be great to know about his students and where they are now, some of whom were my Gung Fu brothers and sisters in San Francisco during the 70s and 80s.
It is regrettable that you didn't have that opportunity, but undoubtedly he would have shared what was in your heart when he passed. Having trained with your uncle in the 1970s, I found him to be a stern and focused taskmaster while teaching, but his sense of humor was always present. I have had the good fortune to study with many great teachers in my life, but Sifu Lai's superb skill was truly first-rate and his dedication to introducing Chinese martial arts to the West garnered much respect amongst the Gung Fu community both at home and abroad.
I'm sure he would be proud to know that you pursued your own path of training in martial arts. Interestingly, when I lived in Seattle I met a Silat practitioner (hi Eddy), who upon seeing me perform some 7 Star techniques, compared it to advanced Silat he was also studying.
Kuntao and silat are great where did you train kuntao?
@@middlepath3607 His Sister was my mother Anna Marie Lai. I did not learn the 7 Stars or any version of it do to a Boxer's stance that will punch with the opposite hand and step off on the opposite leg. The Western Boxers Foot work is what will throw off the Mantis leg work and upper body Counter Strikes. I believe he modified it to work but I was far away to learn it as I joined the US Military. I chose/had to use Chinese Shaolin Kuntao. As my USAF AFB was not in California. My primary instructors who knew my Uncle was Willem De Thouars who taught me Ciemande Silat and Benag Camat who taught Filipino Chinoy Style Kuntao, and Danzan Jijitsu that I did when I was in middle school in San Bruno from Henry Okazaki under William Cahill in the SFO Bay Area. San Bruno to more exact. My Uncle Brendan lived in the Daily City/ South San Francisco City Area and had his store in San Francisco that closed down around 2018. He passed away from complications to diabetes around 2002. I last saw him in 1995/96. I will always miss him and he was my Hero. We rarely got to visit each other or his son Alvin and my Aunt his wife Ester. I followed my way and wanted to speak to him about modifications to 7 Stars using Kuntao and Silat. It never happened. The other Animal forms I never learned from him, but from Kuntao's 5 Animals forms and Ling Sing Toy- Two/Twin Dragon Tails which I can barely pull off at my age. Thanks you for the tribute on behalf of my Uncle and his family since Alvin never responds? Anna Lai Chan's husband was my Father Walter Chan. I am Cecil Chan her son. Steve is my middle name. Sigong Lai had several brother's as well. Out of everyone in my family on both sides I am the only one who pursued the mental and physical aspects of Sim Lum or Shaolin for cultural historical reasons. I learned that Shaolin was destroyed in 1644AD and they fled to Nippon/Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines and of course India. The Shaolin in Red China was built in 1983 and is essentially a tourist attraction. I do not know if the Red Chinese retain all of the Shaolin knowledge and I doubt they did. There are Shaolin Monasteries or remenants of them in Indonesia and the Philippines. My wife is Chinoy or Chinese Filipino so Banag taught me his strategy of slapping the throat and eye blinding while Willem & his Disciples showed me Monkey foot leg breaks along with way more shoulder and head spins and Fa jin, fajin or fa chin (fājìn, 發勁), sometimes misspelled as fajing? A lot of rolling under the opponent to blow out the legs. I only got to learn Espada Y'Dagga with elements of Chinese swordsmanship. My Unlce told me NEVER advertise because we do not know who is watching. I will take my leave now. I just wanted all to know his family is still around. Thank you.
@@middlepath3607 Ed might be the same Disciple of Willems. There was Phil, Steven Garten, many others. Bob Orlando...etc.
i miss my sifu. he was magnificent.
Espectacular.
What an EXCELLENT demonstration by Grandmaster Brendan Lai of the waist chopping technique with the 7-Star stance: ua-cam.com/video/Jaka2jtTHQM/v-deo.html
pure gold
I'm glad he took the time to promote the art in the states. I might not have access to this cultural art were it not for him.
How many hours a day does this take to learn
Twice a week for one hour each and it would be 2-4 years before you learn these forms if you have no prior martial arts experience. The first form shown, Bung Bo, is usually the 7th form taught; The second form shown, Chop Chui, is usually the 6th form taught. It usually takes students 5-8 classes to learn these. After 5 or 6 years of training, it takes students 1-2 classes to learn a form of this complexity. For instance, the form Dai Gar Sig takes about one class to learn by the time a student is ready to learn it. It's slow in the beginning, but you speed up tremendously if you stick with it.
@@TrentMantis Would it really help one to become a great fighter say in self defence situations or is it more of a yoga type exercise . I am fairly ignorant about these arts.
@@TrentMantis As a student of Sifu Lai in the 1970s at his California Street studio in San Francisco, I found your calculations very insightful. I would always arrive early for classes that often ran 2-3 hours and was frequently allowed to attend classes more than twice a week. On average I spent my entire first year becoming competent in a few dozen techniques, their applications, basic combinations, and afterward focused on the Fourteen Roads core 7 Star routines. Including training at home, I averaged between 22-25 hours of practice each week.
Although I never reached the level of learning complete forms (Chop Chui, in particular, was very popular), I progressed well in techniques by spending any free time on bag work (with dit da jow of course), wooden dummy, and two-person drills.
Over the many years since I have trained with many skilled teachers, but Brendan Lai was the most critical and demanding, and he always stressed real-world effectiveness in his teachings. Sifu Lai's individual movements were always crisp and flawless whenever he would demonstrate to his students. I had the luck of being frequently called on by Sifu to run through an application with him in front of the class. Being able to experience his ability first-hand greatly improved my grasp of the underlying principles, and my memory of his level of skill still amazes me to this day. Easily the fastest hands I ever saw.
@@connietimoney4447 Definitely not a static yoga-type method. Although 7 Star Praying Mantis does incorporate its own stretching, posture holding, and internal breathing routines, they are approached differently. This Northern Chinese method is first and foremost a fighting system and doesn't translate well into a sport or purely health-related practice. In the 1980s I trained in another related Praying Mantis system in San Francisco, and heard of an older sister school in NY that was banned from full-contact competitions on the East Coast due to the number of opponent's joints being broken. It was not intentional, but the system when learned traditionally and correctly is taught to create openings by first attacking extended limbs (the elbow being a primary target, with knee joints, and collar bones to a less frequent degree) with "soft" deflections and captures to create openings before applying "hard" finishing strikes. In the heat of a sparring match it is too challenging to modify one's reflexes to accommodate competition requirements. For the system to retain its real-world effectiveness, removing these core principles would compromise its effectiveness.
Northern 7 Star Mantis techniques are practiced at medium-to-full speed and are generally explosive and rapid-fire in application. The system can be challenging for some as it focuses on simultaneous attack and defense, with many individual physical adjustments, techniques, and principles executed at the same time in a single movement. Due to the emphasis on trapping it is also critical to spend many hours in two-person drills, and it can take literally years to achieve effective spontaneous responses and sensitivity needed to automatically read the opponent's movements by touch alone.
7 Star Praying Mantis is best learned in a class with expert instruction. Correct posture and timing in movements benefit from an observant instructor to avoid developing (and then having to unlearn) bad habits. It is also a very large system with literally dozens of empty-hand and weapons forms, requiring years of training and perhaps study with multiple teachers over time to become adept in them all. My teacher Brendan Lai was an advanced practitioner in the art, but he would still make periodic trips to Hong Kong for more study under his own teacher.
A good instructor of this style should display clear and complete execution of techniques, a strong training partner curriculum, knowledgeable conditioning practices (Iron Palm hand conditioning should be properly taught and practiced to avoid harm to your health, as an example), and a solid grasp of the system. 7 Star Mantis also uses pain as one means of creating openings in the attacker's defenses, but a student has to also feel the pain of carefully applied techniques in class, as well as the sensation of being struck, grabbed, swept, or thrown to fully grasp some techniques, and to prepare for such in a real altercation. Also, what is the teacher's lineage? Did they study from a recognized teacher? As with many fighting systems, learning authentic techniques correctly is essential. Balance, efficient movement, distance and timing, posture, speed, and a thorough grasp of the core fighting principles are all critical factors to be learned for real-world usage.
@@connietimoney4447 In Chinese Martial Arts it is NOT just a Military WAY. Although, weapons are always taught first along with weapon disarms and weapon retention through arm and leg traps. It is also used as a form of Meditation and the control of life energy. As the Disciple progressed the same movemnts used for weapons training are also the same movements for unarmed combatives. There are many levels and there are so many levels and ways as you go up in skill that eventually you will do it YOUR WAY because of your body type and fusilage form and your speed, agility, and balance and so there are NO MASTERS! There are ONLY TEACHERS! It is why philosophy, Healing, and other sciences and disciplines are incorporated. Here in the USA they are esoteric and not organized as a way of life and used as a H2H (Hand to Hand) combative. It is a shame.
Very good.
I practice wing Chun daily, combining it with sum mantis.
was he a Wah Lum practitioner ?
Viva o LAI zongShi Dat Chung!